Electric iron and dampener



April 7,1942. E. P.. SCHREYER 2,219,179

ELECTRIC IRON AND DAMPENER Original Filed Oct. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNE S l 'April 7, 1942. l E. P. scHREYER ELECTRIC IRONKAND DAMPENER Original Filed Oct. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR l BY y ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7,( l1942 2,279,179y v ELECTRIC IBONAND DAMIENER Edward P. SchreyenMiiwaukee, Wis.

original application owners, 193s, semi No. 232,931. Divided and this application August so, 1939, serial N0. 292.544

6 Claims.

`The present invention Arelates to electric irons, and is more particularly directed to a combination electric iron and dampener. The present application is. a division of application Serial' No. 232,931 filed October 3, 1938, now-Patent No. 2,178,512.

'I'he chief objects of the present invention are f the provision of 'an iron and dampener of the character described having a vwater container secured tothe shoe thereof, and which container overlies the entire surface ofthe shoe; the provision of a plurality of baffles in the containertb prevent the surging action of water therein; the provision of a cover sealed to the container and having a steam chamber or dome at the forward end thereof and provided with bailles therein; the provision of a continuous channel in the shoe of the iron into which the steam is discharged from .the chamber or dome foran even distribution of steam to outletopenings arranged in the shoe and communicatingwith the channel; the provision of a support or rest for setting the iron on' its heel; and, the provision of thermo-responsive means for cutting of! the current to the heating element at a predetermined degree of heat..

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal medial sectional view of the iron.

Figure 2 is a plan .sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is'an enlarged detail cross-sectional `view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5' is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the rear portion of lthe ironillustrating'tlieV thermoresponsive means coacting therewith.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a" modified formof baille within the container; and

Figure 8 is a detail longitudinal sectional view' of a modified form of bottom wall on the container.

The' reference numeral I0 designates lthe base plate or shoe of the iron which may be of any suitable material, ybut is preferably of aluminum and which may be treated with an anodyzing process." This shoe I0 is provided on its top surface with a continuous channel `I I-at the forward end thereof and a relatively large depression I2 extending from a polntadjacent the channel to near the heel of the shoe. The channel II has a plurality of perforations or openings' 65 Prvrided with a plurality of .angularly directed IIa therein, providingdischarge outlets to the under surface of the shoe III, and the depressed portion I2 is adapted to receive an electrical heating element I3 therein. A iiller padv Ila which is preferably of asbestcis or other suitable f material, is placed overthe heating element and is provided with a plurality of perforations lib.

Arcontainer Il is secured to the shoe andy is provided with a bottom wall which forms an enclosure or topv wall for the continuous channel il and engages the filler pad ifa to compress the san'ie to retain the heating element Il in position. The container is preferably constructed of an aluminum casting and is secured to the shoe I0 by means of cap screws I8 which draw the bottom wall I5 of the container into contact with the suer pad Isa to retain the element in position and to cause the bottom wall I5 to engage the shoe to form an enclosure for the heating element and channel. The cap screws- IB extend through the bottom wall I5 of the container and their head portions Ita are provided with internal threads I Bb for securing a cover I'I to the container, as will be later described.

When the container is in fixed position on the shoe IB, it engages the periphery. of the shoe to forma perfect closure for' the heating element Il and channel II and ltscontact with the base serves to conduct the heat through the container. The container Il is also provided with a plurality of baiiies I8 which extend from the bottom wall I5 andare disposed angularly with their top edge portions directed towardthe rear of the container.

The cover I1 of the container Il is provided with serrations I9 along its lower. edge which' coact 'with corresponding serrations 20 provided on the topedge of the container 'and when the bolts 2| Vextend through 4the cover I'I and into `the'threads I6b provided in the head portions Ita of the cap screws It, and these bolts 2l serve to exert a pressure to retain the cover in sealed position with the container.

The cover I1 is preferably a casting and has grip 24 is secured by means of a bolt 25.` This handle serves as a means to grip and manipula the iron during ironing movements. l

-The steam chamber or dome 22 is preferably oppositely positioned bafes 25. (Fig. 4), which are arranged to provide a central opening 21 through which the upper end of a pipe 28 is directed, and which pipe has its lower end secured at 28 in the threaded head 30 of a hollow cap screw 3I which extends through the bottom wall I5 of the container I4 and is threaded into the shoe I8. The hollow` cap screw 3l serves to securely retainv theforward end of the container Il in position on the shoe I anduitalso serves `as a means through which the steam that has been admitted into the pipe 28 is exhausted into Y the continuous channel II of the shoe. An annular recess 32 is provided in the bottom wall I5 and provides an opening above a depressed pori tion 33 that communicates with thecontinuous channel in the shoe I8. The hollow cap screw 3| is provided with a plurality of transverse 'openings 3l that communicate with the annular recess 32 of the container for directing the steam from the leadj pipe 28 into the continuous As thus far described, it willbe noted that with an iron* and 'dampener constructed in the manner above pointed out, it is only necessary to remove the ller cap 35 and fill the container I4 with water to approximately the height of the baiiies I8 and to then thread the filler cap 35 in position to securely thread the same and seal the container. The current may then be applied to termina-ls 36-31 to heat the element I3 which heats the shoe I0 and the. heat 'also passes through the perforations I3b of the filler pad I3a 'and around said pad to heat the container and water therein. After the water is heated to boiling point, the steam will riseinto the steam chamberor dome 22 around the bales 25 thereof, and when under sufficient pressure, willr be son operating the same may not be aware that the water therein is exhausted and should be replenished. as the metal parts will become relatively hotter with the same degree ofheat applied thereto when empty as when there is water in the container. To avoid the possibility of the iron attaining a greater degree of heat than that which it attains while filled with water, a

thermoresponsive means is provided and operates inthe following manner:

The terminal 31v isprovided with an insulated portion 48 in such manner so that when the plug A (shown in dotted lines), is attached thereto, the circuit to the heating element I3 will not be completed. In order to complete the circuit. a thermoresponsive means II of suitable material, such as of bi-metal construction. is arranged to engage the terminal 31 above and below the insulated portion 33l to complete the circuit tn the heating element I3.

, As above described, when the water within the container is exhausted and the container and shoe are heated beyond a predetermineddegreey of heat (which is boiling point of water for creatl ing steam), the` thermoresponsive means' 40 will Vyield and break the contact between. the upper and lower portionsy of terminal 31' to open the circuit and when the iron is cooled to the proper degree, this thermoresponsive means 40 will then again closefthefcircuit to heat the iron. "It will be noted that with a .thermoresponsive means operable .to make and break the current to the heating element,'no excessive amount of heat will be' produced in the iron and no ill effects will result.

In Figure 7 is shown a modified form of baille in which the main sections I8A thereof are cast as A an integral part of the container HA and the forced through the lead pipe 28 to the hollow cap I screw3l and outwardly of the transverse openings '34 thereof into the continuous channelll andv perforations Ila. When the steam is ad# During the ironing movements of the iron, the l water contained within the container I4'is withheld against surging action by means of the bailies I8 o1' a metal wool B may beeplaced between the bales. In order to admit of the passage of water from one compartment toV another, formed by the baiiies, a plurality of openings 38 isprovided in these bailles adjacent the bottom wall I5 of the container. f

As the steam chamber or dome 22 is positioned at the forward end of the iron, it will be noted that an iron constructed in this manner may be set up on its heel while heating the s ame and also for steaming purposes, and in order to support the iron on its'heel, a bracket 39 is provided. This bracket extends from the top of lug 23 to the lower edge of the container I4 and is secured upper edges of these sections terminate in spaced relation with the upper portion of the container' providing openings 42-42. 'I'he cover ITA attached tofthe container, carries a plurality of depending tongues I1' that coact with'the bai'iie sections ISA-and are aligned` therewith when the cover ITA-is in sealed position on the container MA; l These dependingtongues I1' are of a length which is less than the depth of the container and when in position provide openings I3 to permit the water to pass from one compartment vserves to prevent surging action of the water,

while the depending tongues I1' prevent splashing ofwater overthetop of the metal wool in the middle portion in the width of the iron to cooperate with the woolin insuring the exclusion of water from the steam dome 22.

Referring now to the modified form illustrated lin Figure' 8, the base plate or shoe IDB .is provided with depressions IIB and IZB, one of which provides a continuous channel and the other in l which the heating element I3B is positioned in in position and retained by the bolt 25 of the the same manner as shown in the preferred form. In this modified f0rm,.the bottom wall IBB of the container HB is provided' with recesses in the surface thereof corresponding to the depressions inthe base plate or shoe I 0B. These re cesses are arranged in the following manner: the recess32B overlying the continuous channel IIB in the manner shown in the preferred form, while `the recess 43 coacts with the depression usual cap screws ISB-'46B are employed for retaining the container I4B secured to the shoe, while the hollow cap screw 3IB having transverse openings 34B serves also as fastening means and to distribute steam to rthe continuous channel IIB.

I claim:

1. An iron comprising a shoe formed with steam perforations, a container forming a reservoir for water above the shoe having walls and having a top opening, the walls of said container forming the main body of the iron, an exteriorly accessible removable cover for said opening, means for heating water in said container to produce steam, a pipe for conducting steam from the upper portion of said water container to the steam perforations in the shoe, means forming a steam space carried by said exteriorly accessible cover into which the upper end of the steam pipe extends, and a baling member carried by the lower side of said cover and spaced longitudinally from said steam space forming means, said bailling member being of less width than the water container and depending into said container a substantial distance to extend below the normal water level, said baflling member acting to divert Water moving longitudinally in the iron to the sides of the water container.

2. An iron comprising a shoe formed with steam perforations, a container forming a reservoir for water above the shoe having a top opening of less width than the container, a removable cover for said opening, means for heating water in said container to produce steam, a pipe for conducting steam from the upper portion of said water container to the steam perforations in the shoe, and a bailling member carried by the lower side of said cover andV of less width than the water container and depending into said container below the maximum water level and substantially to the bottom of said water container, said baflling member acting to divert water moving longitudinally in the iron to the sides of the container to `furnish a shield for the upper portion of the container from which steam is conducted.

3. An iron comprising a shoe rformed with steam perforations, a container forming a reservoir for water above the shoe having a top opening, a cover for said opening, means for heating water in said container to produce steam, a pipe for conducting steam from the upper portion of said water container to the steam perforations in the shoe, a baflling member carried by the lower side of the cover` and of less width than the water container and depending into said container, and transversely alined spaced apart bailling members supported within the container between which thercover baffling member fits the shoe, there being a steam dome projecting upwardly from the container at one end thereof, the upper end of said steam dome being shaped to provide a handle support, a second handle support extending upwardly at the other end of the container, a handle having one end recessed inwardly from said end and upwardly from the bottom adjacent said end, the entire upper end of the steam dome being of diminished size so that said entire upper end is received in and shielded by said handle recess with said end of the handle projecting outwardly beyond the steam dome to protect the hand from contact with said upper end of the steam dome, means for connecting said handle directly to said shielded upper end of the steam dome and to the handle support, a heating element for heating the base plate and container, and meansfor conducting steam'from the steam dome to lthe perforations of the base plate. g

5. An iron comprising a sh-oe formed with steam perforations, a container for water above the shoe, there being a steam dome projecting upwardly from the container at one end thereof, the upper end of said steam dome being shaped to provide a handle support, a vsecond handle support extending upwardly at the other end of the container, a handle having one end recessed inwardly from said end and upwardly from the bottom adjacent said end, the entire upper end of the steam dome being of dimin- Y ished size so that said entire upper end is received in and shielded by said handle recess with said end of the handle extending laterally on the sides of said upper end of the steam dome to protect the hand from contact with said upper end of the steam dome, means for connecting said handle directly to said shielded upper end of the steam dome and to the handle support, means for heating the base plate and container, and means for conducting steam from the steam dome to the perforations of the base plate.

6. An iron comprising a shoe formed with steam perforations, a container formingv a reservoir for water above the shoe having walls and having a top opening, the walls of said container Aforming the main body oi the iron, an exteriorly accessible removable cover for said opening, means for heating water lin said container to produce steam, a pipe for conducting steam from the upper portion of said water container to the steam perforations in the shoe, means kforming a steam space carried by said exteriorly accessible cover into which the upper end of the steam pipe extends, a body of metal wool resting on the bottom of the Water container, and a rballling member carried by the lower side of the cover f and spaced longitudinally from said steam space forming means, said bafiling member being of a.

length to at least meet the top of the body of metal wool.

EDWARD P, SCHREYER.' 

